Mining-pit



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. GOLDING.

MINING PIT. No. 321,714. Patented July '7; 1885.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

M. GOLDING.

MINING PIT. No. 321,714. Patented July 7, 1885.

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MOSES GOLDING, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

MINING-PIT.

SPEGIFTCATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 321,714, dated July '7, 1885.

Application filed Febrnam- .2. 1885.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MOSES GOLD'ING, a citizen of the United States and a resident of Trenton, Mercer county, New Jersey, have. invented a certain Improved Mining-Pit, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved construction of mining pit as described and claimed hereinafter, more especially adapted for the mining of kaolin.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating a mode heretofore practiced of mining kaolin. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of my improved pits. Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of my improved pit-lining; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are vertical sections showing the manner of building the pit.

Beds of kaolin are found at different depths below the surface of the ground. Occasionally this mineral is so near the surface that it can be obtained by the ordinary process of quarrying, butmost frequently it is at a considerable depth, say thirty to sixty feet below the surface.

\Ve will suppose that theirregular line ain the vertical section, Fig. 1, represents the upper surface of the bed \V of kaolin, and that it is on an average of thirty feet 'below the surface of the ground, indicated by the line b.

A plan heretofore practiced of mining is to dig a trench or pit of any desired length with sides at such inclination as to prevent the eaving in of the soil. When the kaolin has been reached, it may be mined to about the extent shown by the shaded portion a: in Fig. 1, for the mineral is of such a cohesive character that it can be mined to a considerable extent in the manner shown without caving in.

\Vhen a larger quantity of kaolin has to be mined, one or both the inclined sides of the pit mustbe cutaway, in order to expose a more extended surface of the mineral. Theinclined dotted line 3 for instance, shows how one of the sides of the pit or trench may be excavated in order to obtain the additional quantity of kaolin, indicated by dotted line w.

Another plan which has been resorted to is that commonly adopted in mining other mineralsnamely, the sinking of a comparatively small shaft, and on reaching the kaolin (No model.)

making tunnels or headings therein communicating with the said shaft.

Both these methods, however, are tedious and costly, and to meet this objection, and mine the kaolin more economically, I construct a pit preferably of circular form and with parallel sides, against which I construct a lining in sections, which are applied at intervals as the excavation is continued, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. The lining is made of layers of timbers M, arranged in a circle, as appearsin the plan view, Fig. 3, which shows part of one layer composed of timbers M and part of an upper layer composed of timbers M.

I have found that timbers each about four feet long, nine inches wide, and three inches thick will be available, these being arranged flatwise and abutting against each other, end to end, and inclosing a circular space of any diameter desired, say twenty to forty feet.

The joints of the timbers are made on radial lines m m, and at one or more points in each layer are wedges n n which serve a twofold purpose. First, on driving the wedge n the timbers of the layer will be held in place, and, second, the wedges, entering the clay or soil, serve to sustain the lining when it is undermined.

I first make a circular pit, T, Fig. 4, of such a depth that the bottom will afford a compar-- atively solid foundation, on which, after being properly leveled, I build a lining, D, composed of a number of the above-described layers, driving the wedges as layer after layer is added to the structure, after which I continue the excavation of a pit to a depth which the character of the soil may suggest, the ex cavation being extended laterally beneath the lining already built, as shown in Fig. 5. After this second excavation has been properly leveled I build thereon another series of the above-described layers until they reach the bottom layer of the first series; or, if the higlr est layer of the second series does not quite reach the bottom of the first,and the space be tween them does not permit the introduction of another layer, I drive wedges between the two sets of layers. The excavation is again proceeded with, as shown in Fig. 6, and a third set of layers added to the second, and these operations are continued until the kaolin has been removed to an extent which the character of the bed may suggest. After this I proceed to withdraw the wedges of the low est layer,drawthe lattcrinto thepit, and hoist them therefrom, the filling of the pit being then commenced and continued as the withdrawal of the layers permits, and this removal of the lining and the introduction of the filling is proceeded with until the whole of the said lining has been removed, the timbers then being ready for use in making another excavation adjoining the first.

eferring again to the wedges, it should be understood that those of one layer are not directly above those of the other. The wedges appertaining to the layer of timbers h for instance, may be at the points indicated by dotted lines, and this change in the position of the wedges in the different layers is adopted throughout the structure, so that the lining will have wedges projecting in every direction into the soil.

In the plan view, Fig. 2, is illustrated the plan which I prefer to adopt of sinking successive pits adjacent to each otherthat is, after first refilling one pit, excavating another adjoining the filled pi The dotted circles a b c (2 represent excavations which have been sunk and the pits filled, while the plain circle 0 shows the position of a lined pit which is being formed for the removal of kaolin.

Although the practical application of my invention has been restricted to the mining of kaolin it may be employed in mining other minerals.

I claim as my invention The herein-described mining-pit having a supporting-lining consisting of a succession of circular layers of timber abutting against each other, end to end. and wedges holding the timbers and passing into the soil, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MOSES GOLDING.

Vitnesses:

HENRY Bossnn'r, HARRY SMITH. 

